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Force lightning
|area= |inventor= |notable practitioners=*Revan *Malak *Nihilus *Dessel BaneStar Wars: Path of Destruction *Cosimo Palpatine IIStar Wars: Return of the Jedi *Dantius PalpatineStar Wars: The Glove of Darth Vader *Cronal *Hego Damask *Maladi *Talzin *Jacen SoloInferno *Wyyrlok (III) *A'Sharad HettStar Wars: Legacy 31: Vector, Part 12 *Jard DookuStar Wars: Attack of the Creepy Ex *Namman ChaChampions of the Force (SWGTCG) *MighellaStar Wars: Darth Maul 4 *Thannor KethLight and Shadow *Volfe KarkkoStar Wars: Republic 35: Darkness, Part 4 *Vestara KhaiFate of the Jedi: Allies *Celeste Morne *DesannStar Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast *Jorus SabaothHeir to the Empire *Tahiri VeilaLegacy of the Force: Invincible *Kopecz *Galen Marek *Starkiller *Kyle KatarnJedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast *Valkorion |affiliation=}} Force lightning was a well known Force ability, most often used by practitioners of the dark side of the Force, especially the Dark Jedi. The ability was commonly referred to as Dark lightning, due to the affiliations of its typical users. Description Force lightning was a purely offensive, energy-based attack that channeled Force energy down the user's limbs, hurling arcing bolts of electricity from the wielder's fingertips or palms; Force lightning could be executed with either one or two hands. Powerful discharges would branch out into dozens of smaller forks; thus, skilled practitioners could target several foes at once.Star Wars: Empire: Betrayal The intensity varied based on a number of factors. A skilled user could render a target unconscious with only a short burst. A single, powerful blast was sufficient to kill a person instantly. Dessel Bane's lightning, for example, would often electrocute his opponents to death on contact. Galen Marek was another Force-user who could channel lightning that would kill on contact. Both Kyle Katarn and Cosimo Palpatine II could conjure lightning so powerful that not only would it instantly kill its target, it would also physically hurl them backwards. The latter's usage was also powerful enough to render anyone caught in it into charred husks if used to its full potency, as demonstrated by his execution of Headmaster Gentis for his military coup against him.Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison Galen Marek's clone and Emperor Palpatine were able to produce lightning at such intensity that it literally vaporized their targets. These are the most powerful known usages of Force lightning. The fact that it caused not only severe physical damage but also unbearable agony to the victim led to it being widely used as a form of torture. At the Battle of Endor, Palpatine repeatedly assaulted Luke Skywalker with lightning, and Malak used it upon Bastila Shan, having captured her onboard the Leviathan and having brought her to Lehon, where he converted her to the dark side. Due to the fact that Force lightning was, at its core, simply electricity generated by the dark side, it could be grounded with any material that was resistant to electrical currents. Depending on the level of intensity, Force lightning could ground itself on an ignited lightsaber, with no apparent ill effect on the lightsaber's operation.name="TLC">''Star Wars: The Last Command'' However, some of the technique's most exceptionally powerful practitioners, were capable of producing blasts that contained enough kinetic energy to tear an ignited lightsaber from their opponent's grasp. Powerful light-siders were sometimes able to resist the attack, or even block the lightning completely. Mace Windu, with his lightsaber combat form Vaapad, could reflect the lightning back to its source with a "superconducting loop". It required tremendous effort on the reflector's part, however, as seen in Windu's battle with Palpatine; Windu was seemingly able to overcome Palpatine's lightning. Owen Kenobi was also able to deflect Count Jard Dooku's lightning, with his lightsaber, without exerting much effort as well. Force lightning could also be absorbed and redirected by a Jedi of sufficient skill; Yoda demonstrated this ability by both deflecting and absorbing the dark power during battles with Count Jard Dooku and Emperor Palpatine, using nothing more than his own two hands. Galen Marek was also able to block Palpatine's lightning with only his bare hands while walking towards him. Luke Skywalker attempted this, and succeeded for a short amount of time, before the Emperor's attack overwhelmed him.Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Revan demonstrated great proficiency in this ability; he used his bare hands to absorb a very powerful barrage of Force Lightning from Nyriss and then deflected it back at her, destroying her with her own power in the process.The Old Republic: Revan The Force could also be used to simply deflect Force lightning without absorbing it, as demonstrated by Count Dooku during his initial engagement with Luke Skywalker. There existed an advanced version of Force lightning which may have been used by Revan in the Jedi Civil War and Meetra Surik during the First Jedi Purge. Its destructive potential was legendary; the apocalyptic power was known as Force storm.Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords Effect of Force lightning Though the short-term effects of Force lightning are obvious, the sheer power invoked by its use could have insidious long-term effects, both on those subjected to its power and those who would wield it. It could deform the person being shocked and it could also lead to them being crippled for the rest of their life. It was also known to cause brain damage and blindness. Prolonged exposure to intense electrical fields (such as a sustained current of Force lightning) caused most humanoids to experience sudden and massive calcification of their skeletal system; the abrupt drop in blood minerals provoked muscular micro-seizures all over the victim's body. Intense enough doses of Force lightning will also have the victim having his or her skeletal system being seen through the body, as demonstrated with Darth Vader and Mace Windu. However, this does not impact the user if it is redirected at him or her. This is especially evident with Palpatine shortly before his death, as despite being hit with Force lightning at an intensity great enough to cause Vader's skeleton to shine through his armor when picked up by Vader, he did not exhibit the same symptoms. Telltale symptoms included generalized muscle aches and double vision. A blood test or bioscan could be used to confirm the diagnosis. Unless the victim received complete bed rest and appropriate medical treatment, the disorder would become chronic, lingering for years (barring timely bacta immersion). Luke Skywalker, who was diagnosed with the disorder by 4 ABY was confined to a hoverchair for his trip to Bakura during the Ssi-Ruuk invasion, mere days after his near-fatal encounter with Palpatine.The Truce at Bakura It was thought that very intense use of Force lightning could drain the user physically, and possibly result in severe facial and body deformations. The deformities Palpatine displayed after unleashing a barrage of Force lightning on Mace Windu, only to have it reflected back upon him by the Jedi Master's lightsaber is an example of this, although it was also implied that he was using the mask ability up to that point. Cronal also implied that the users' abilities with Force Lightning would grow even stronger when subjected to their own attack. When Anakin Skywalker redeemed himself and killed the Emperor, his life support circuitry was critically damaged, leaving him a heavy and lifeless quadriplegic. Besides draining the user's energy, Force lightning had the added drawback of occasionally charring the hand of the person who used it. When Jacen Solo flew into a rage underneath the ruins of the Jedi Temple on Yuuzhan'tar and attacked his Yuuzhan Vong pursuers with Force lightning, he later found that the blasts had burned charred holes in his palm. Very powerful blasts of Force lightning could highlight and illuminate the victim's skeleton, as shown with Mace Windu, Asajj Ventress and Darth Vader.Star Wars: Return of the Jedi For unknown reasons, Force lightning (together with its various variants, such as Electric Judgment) was the only known Force power able to affect the Force-immune alien Yuuzhan Vong.The New Jedi Order: Star by Star Use by Jedi Force lightning ability was not restricted to dark-siders. Jedi and other light-siders who were strong of will and character ''could learn this power without falling to the dark side—but its use was viewed as inherently corrupting, and most Jedi Councils forbade its use. Some Jedi nonetheless refused to dismiss the natural power of this ability. During the Great Sith War, Jedi Master Lian Dray used Force lightning against the Sith apprentice Sindra. Revan, Meetra Surik, Jolee Bindo, Bastila Shan, and Vrook Lamar were amongst its users during the Mandalorian Wars, the Jedi Civil War and the First Jedi Purge. Plon Koon used this ability (which he called Electric Judgment) to subdue a criminal named Pommel, who had taken a hostage. Koon used Force lightning to knock Pommel out, yet claimed to have no plans to experiment with it in the future. Quinlan Vos could also employ this power effectively, and used it against the Anzat Jedi Volfe Karkko. Darrus Jeht also used Force lightning against the Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress. Some members of the New Jedi Order such as Kyle Katarn and Jaden Keller also used Force lightning (colloquially known as "Emerald Lightning"), but it remained very controversial. Other Jedi practitioners of this power have been Relin Druur, Kyp Durron, Jaina Solo (in a black variant respectively), Jacen Solo, Mara Jade Skywalker and Luke Skywalker. Skywalker in particular was able to utilize a green variant that possessed the ability to instantaneously kill his targets without succumbing to the dark side. However, he was only known to have utilized this deadly variant during his engagement with the Slayers during the Recapture of Coruscant. Cade Skywalker was able to use Force lighting in a unique way. Utilizing his ability to see Shatterpoints in people and objects around him, he could use lightning to heal people, bringing them back from the very edge of death, or to kill them. Force lightning users Force lightning required a living conduit for the energy to be channeled; thus Darth Vader, despite being an immensely powerful Dark Lord, was never able to properly employ this ability, as any attempt to generate it carried the risk of shorting out his life support systems. In addition, Vader's life support systems were not well insulated, and the system's delicate circuitry was vulnerable to the damaging effects of Force lightning. This vulnerability would eventually contribute to his death. Jorak Uln, the former headmaster of the Sith Academy on Korriban who hid in the Valley of the Dark Lords during the Jedi Civil War, would sometimes kidnap and torture Sith students. One of his favorite games was testing his captives on Sith philosophy, punishing their failure with Force lightning, often until they were killed.Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic Malak used Force lightning as a means of torture to turn Bastila Shan to the dark side. It was intended to give her a "taste" of the dark side's power, a technique that eventually succeeded. The Valkorion's Force Lightning was so powerful that he overwhelmed the Jedi Master Revan, to a degree that Revan's mask started to melt into his skin. As Valkorion, he later employed this against both Darth Marr, killing him instantly, and his son Arcann, who was able to resist it, despite being severely burned. Arcann later used the same type of lightning against The Outlander.The Old Republic: Revan Jard Dooku used the technique to incapacitate Ian Lago during the Battle of Geonosis. He also attempted the technique on Owen Kenobi, who was able to block it with his lightsaber, and Luke Skywalker, who managed to reflect and dispel the energy with his bare hands. Cosimo II was a master of the technique. He used Force lightning to punish Luke Skywalker for his refusal to join him, beginning with an agonizing but non-lethal quantity and working his way gradually upwards toward lethality. Other Force-sensitives known to have used the power or its variants include: Variants of Force lightning Force shock Force shock was a Force power that allowed the user to create an energy spark that would track and damage the nearest enemy. The shock could be thrown at an opponent to stun and injure them, or could be set loose to track an opponent until it dissipates. The shock would not last more than five seconds or so before disappearing into a tiny burst of heat, but it was a useful technique for Dark Jedi apprentices. Force storm Force storm was a Force lightning variant. The user would raise their palm upward and would create, through the Force, an explosion of electrical energy directed at all foes in the vicinity. It also appeared as a tornado of energy which created a great disturbance in the Force. Jedi could also join together to create a Force storm, though its use was frowned upon by more orthodox Jedi. Unlike the Force lightning, Force storm was not limited to attacking enemies in one direction, as it affected all foes within a certain radius from the user. Some notable practitioners of this power were Revan, Nyriss, the Sith Emperor, Dessel Bane, Galen Marek and Cosimo Palpatine II. Chain lightning Chain lightning was a variation of Force lightning with the difference being that the lightning was able to strike one person and then move to another or several others. As it was more powerful than the standard lightning, it required a greater amount of discipline and concentration to project and sustain the stream of lightning. The only confirmed users are the Force apparition known as Dark Mara, Galen Marek and Count Dooku. Colors While most Force Lightning manifested itself as blue, it could appear in several hues, though whether or not the color is distinctive was unclear. For example, Cosimo II, Bane and Nox had all used purple lightning. The Hidden One used white. Talzin and Mother were seen using green. Dark side users like Desolous, Tenebrous, Son and Luke Skywalker were seen wielding red. Jaina Solo also used a highly unusual color variant, in the form of black.The New Jedi Order: Dark Journey Appearances *''The Betrayal of Darth Revan'' *''Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic'' *''The Old Republic: Revan'' *''Return'' *''Hope'' *''Star Wars: The Old Republic, Blood of the Empire Act 1: Shades of the Sith'' *''Deceived'' *''The Old Republic: Deceived'' *''The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance'' *''Star Wars: The Old Republic'' *''The Old Republic: Annihilation'' * * * *''Lost Tribe of the Sith: Pandemonium'' *''Star Wars: Knight Errant'' *''Star Wars: Path of Destruction'' *''Star Wars: Dynasty of Evil'' *''Restraint'' *''The Last of the Jedi: A Tangled Web'' *''Rebel Dawn'' *''Star Wars: Empire 3: Betrayal, Part 3'' *''Star Wars: Empire 4: Betrayal, Part 4'' *''Star Wars: Empire at War'' *''The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader'' *''Star Wars: Splinter of the Mind's Eye'' *''Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron'' *''Star Wars: Return of the Jedi'' *''Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand 2'' *''Star Wars -Phantasmagoria-'' *''Star Wars: The Truce at Bakura'' *''Shadows of the Empire: Evolution *''Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II'' * *''Star Wars: The Courtship of Princess Leia'' *''Star Wars: Heir to the Empire'' *''Star Wars: Dark Force Rising'' *''Star Wars: The Last Command'' *''Star Wars: Dark Empire'' *''Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith'' *''Star Wars: Dark Apprentice'' *''Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast *''Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy'' *''The New Rebellion'' *''Junior Jedi Knights: Anakin's Quest'' *''Young Jedi Knights: Shadow Academy'' *''Young Jedi Knights: Darkest Knight'' *''Star Wars: Republic 22: Twilight, Part 4'' *''Star Wars: Republic 35: Darkness, Part 4'' *''Star Wars: Poison Moon'' *''Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter'' *''Star Wars: Attack of the Creepy Ex'' * * * * * * * * * *''Star Wars: Trackdown'' *''Star Wars: Siege of Saleucami'' *''Star Wars: A Plague of Darkness'' *''Destruction'' *''Star Wars: Labyrinth of Evil'' *''Coruscant Nights III: Patterns of Force'' *''The New Jedi Order: Star by Star'' *''The New Jedi Order: Dark Journey'' * *''Star Wars: Invasion: Revelations 5'' *''The New Jedi Order: Traitor'' *''The New Jedi Order: Destiny's Way'' *''Dark Nest I: The Joiner King'' *''Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen'' *''Legacy of the Force: Tempest'' *''Legacy of the Force: Inferno'' *''Legacy of the Force: Invincible'' *''Crosscurrent'' *''Riptide'' *''Fate of the Jedi: Outcast'' *''Fate of the Jedi: Allies *''Fate of the Jedi: Vortex'' *''Fate of the Jedi: Conviction'' *''Fate of the Jedi: Ascension'' *''Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse'' *''Crucible'' *''Star Wars: Legacy: Broken'' *''Star Wars: Legacy 13: Ready to Die'' *''Star Wars: Legacy 19: Claws of the Dragon, Part 6'' *''Star Wars: Legacy 22: The Wrath of the Dragon'' *''Star Wars: Legacy 23: Loyalties, Part 1'' *''Star Wars: Legacy 31: Vector, Part 12'' *''Star Wars: Legacy 34: Storms, Part 1'' *''Star Wars: Legacy 40: Tatooine, Part 4'' *''Star Wars: Legacy 50: Extremes, Part 3'' *''Star Wars: Legacy—War 1'' *''Star Wars: Legacy—War 2'' *''Star Wars: Legacy—War 4'' *''Star Wars: Legacy—War 6'' *''Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 6'' }} Notes and references }} See also *Electric Judgment Lightning Lightning